Pioneering Pinot Noir at Bream Creek
Despite being the state with some of the earliest known vineyards in Australia (likely some existed in the early 1820s), Tasmania’s wine industry essentially disappeared for many decades. But a Frenchman inspired change on the Apple Isle in the 1950s, and it should come as no surprise being a fruit-producing region, that a group of pioneers revived grape growing in the 1960s and 1970s.
Fred Peacock was one of these leaders, and has been acknowledged by the Tasmanian Wine Industry with an outstanding service award as well as being named ‘Viticulturalist of the Year’ in 2018 by Gourmet Traveller Wine. In his early career working for the Department of Agriculture, experimenting with varieties and selecting the best locations for vineyards in Tasmania, he became involved in the site near Marion Bay which had been planted in 1974. He purchased the site outright in 1990, at that time there were less than 10 commercial vineyards in the state, and established it as Bream Creek Vineyard.
“There are few stronger supporters of the Tasmanian wine industry than Fred Peacock. What he doesn’t know about growing grapes on the island is probably not worth knowing.”
Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine
Today, he manages 7.5ha of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürtztraminer, and notably, the oldest commercial plantings of the rare Schönburger variety in the southern hemisphere. Over the years Fred has increased the plantings of Pinot Noir, his most well-known wines. Crucial for the variety, Tasmania’s cool climate and free-draining soils have provided the foundations for premium Tasmanian pinot becoming world-class.
Overlooking Marion Bay and the Tasman Sea, the site’s maritime-influenced vineyards are on gentle slopes with deep soils ranging from brown to black clay loams with a little small stone on the higher ground. Of course, Fred’s agricultural expertise means particular attention has been made to planting particular varieties on the best-matched soil types within the vineyard. The mature vines and small yields also go a long way to explaining the concentration of flavour and excellent length that shows in Bream Creek Pinot Noir. The wines are aged in French oak for 9 months in new and 1-4-year-old barrels. The Reserve is a 10% best barrel selection of the new and 1-year-old barrels and is held back from release for an extra year aging. It consistently produces a bigger style with greater complexity and length.
The 2019 Pinot Noir (a warm vintage of low yield due to dry conditions)will be available in all states in the next couple of weeks; and the 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir has just been released in very limited quantities – please speak to your Fesq & Company Representative about securing an allocation.
Source By:Sophie